While I was in Nicaragua my mom flew down to see what it was like living on the World Race. I asked her for her thoughts and what she wrote me was exactly what people should know what life is like outside of a first world country. Hope you glean something from her thoughts!
Walls
Yellow, orange, blue, green, white, purple and pink, lots of pink. – these were the colors of the walls that lined the streets of Granada. Some were fairly well kept, but most were dirty and crumbling. Many had barbed wire on the tops like commonly found in a prison and bars over the windows and doors. I couldn’t tell if they were homes, stores, cafes or hotels because they all looked the same except for varying colors. Most had their doors open so I could see inside as I passed by. To my surprise the insides were nice, clean and interesting. If I had determined to enter or not based on the outside I would have missed out on tasty smoothies, a chocolate museum , beautiful and interesting art and even a car dealership! Thinking about this I heard the LORD say “Like people.” I was humbled and reminded how quickly I judge the outsides and like the walls, miss out on what’s inside. 1 Samuel 16:7 says “But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his physical appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees;for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” I am reminded of his when I see someone who is different than me and remember I must look past the “walls” and truly love them.
What about me?
Walking through the impoverish neighborhood of Pontonel there were many people sitting outside of their houses, which were less comfortable than where we house our animals in America. They were just sitting there. Was it because of the heat? Was it too hot inside? Didn’t they have anything to do or anywhere to go, I wondered? Regardless the reason, it made them accessible to us; Accessible to talk to them and see if they needed prayer. Some of our team was talking and praying with a few people while the rest were playing with some kids in the street. A couple “houses” down and across the street I noticed a man standing slightly in view behind the corrugated metal wall that was the gate to his home. He looked curious as to what a few white foreigners were doing there, but not bold enough to come out. I grabbed Daniel and our translator and approached him. To my surprise I realized ‘he’ was a woman whose face was weathered and wrinkly. (No, not a cross dresser ) We asked how she was doing and if there was something we could pray for. She said she was sick with a fever and allowed us to place our hands on her and pray. After, her face light up with a big smile I will never forget. She wanted to be noticed. She wanted to be loved on. God reminded me that everyone does. In America people are busy going places, doing things and rarely are sitting outside being accessible for conversation and prayer. But they want to be noticed and they want to be loved, even if it doesn’t appear they do. So be bold and ask if you can pray for people God puts around you. I think you will be surprised they, too, are asking “What about me?”
Written by Christine Sprando
